Intelligence

Drop your silly Atlantic solidarity and support us, Putin tells West

Drop your silly Atlantic solidarity and support us, Putin tells West - Times Online

President Putin called on the West yesterday to drop its “silly Atlantic solidarity” if it wanted improved relations with Russia.

He accused America and some of the countries of the EU of harbouring outdated
Cold War attitudes that led to distrust, particularly on issues such as
energy security and trade. Such stereotypical positions were “absolutely
inappropriate” in the economic arena, he said, insisting that one source of
friction – Russia’s decision to build a pipeline bypassing Poland – was not
infringing anybody’s rights.

He also warned the West to stop giving Russia blanket lectures on democracy.
“We will participate in any debate with our partners, but, if they want us
to do something, they must be specific. If they want us to resolve Kosovo,
let’s talk Kosovo. If they are worried about nuclear programmes in Iran,
let’s talk about Iran, rather than talking about democracy in Russia.”

Neither would he take lectures over Russia imposing higher gas charges on
Ukraine after years of Western preaching about the need for market prices.
“If the West wants to support the Orange movement, let them pay for it. Do
you think we are idiots?”

At the same time, he sounded a more conciliatory note, sayinmg: “We in Russia
and you in Europe and the United States should be more patient. We should
not be faultfinding in our relations and we should look for positive things.
We should engage in friendly relations and support each other.”

He made his comments in a long and forthright session with Western reporters
at his holiday residence overlooking the Black Sea in Sochi and gave the
first inkling of his thinking about his successor and what role he saw for
himself after he leaves office in March next year. “I have no interest in a
weak president after me,” he said. His successor had to be “a
self-sustainable and efficient individual who will serve the people”.

But Mr Putin gave a blunt warning that he had no intention of leaving the
political scene. He was young and fit still, and wanted to continue serving
his country. “This will be a factor with which any future president must
reckon and we must agree how we will function.” He said that he would do
what he could to help his successor and he had no intention of allowing all
the achievements of recent years to be wiped away.

Mr Putin defended his authoritarian style, making clear that he thought a
strong president was essential for many years to come as the country had not
developed strong enough political parties for a Western-style democracy.
Otherwise, he said, there would be chaos. Even in Germany, the system could
misfire, as it did after the last election, and the Czech Republic, he said,
had been without a government for months.

Mr Putin said that, after he had stepped down, he would not disappear or take
up residence in another country. He loved his country and felt rooted to it.
But he all but ruled out any return to power for himself in 2012. “In 2012 I
hope to find a place where I will be comfortable instead of reading in the
Western press nasty things about becoming the new president.”

In a three-hour meeting, the fourth he has held with the same group of Western
academics and journalists, Mr Putin demonstrated an extraordinary grasp of
detail and statistics and ranged across domestic policy, Iraq, Afghanistan,
investment policy, macroeconomics and the future of the various political
factions in the Duma.

He began by defending his choice and timing of a new prime minister, which
stunned Russia this week, saying that he had to change the Government now
because people had begun to cast around for other jobs in anticipation of
change.

He said it was not his idea but that of Mikhael Fradkov, the former Prime
Minister, to dissolve the Cabinet and reform the Government under a
different leadership. Mr Putin praised both the outgoing Prime Minister and
his successor, Viktor Zubkov, who he said had a fine record of service. He
said the 65-year-old new Prime Minister might himself want to run for
president, just as Mr Putin did when appointed Prime Minister in 1999, but
he would first have to prove himself.

He spoke at length on the need to strengthen multiparty democracy in Russia,
saying that he would like to see a proper, modern, left-wing social
democratic party that could be an alternative to United Russia, the ruling
party, which supports him.

He did not see United Russia as a permanent party of government, but it was
vital in securing a parliamentary majority so that he and his successor
could enact necessary legislation. It was no use having only a “holdover
from the past, such as the Communist Party”, as the only real opposition.

Mr Putin also sought to quash Western fears that Russia would use its vast
foreign currency reserves, the result of the high oil price, to buy up vital
Western industries or undermine the Western economy. If there was any idea
that Russian would improperly invest in foreign economies, that was wrong.

He also told the United States that it should set a timetable for withdrawal
from Iraq as this would spur the Iraqi Government into meeting its own
security needs. Without a time-frame, he said, there would be no pressure
for the necessary political and security measures.

Overall, the President appeared remarkably confident about the legacy he will
leave and made much of the huge rise in living standards, in health,
education and housing, which he said most Russians saw as the key factors in
their lives. This, he said, was vital in creating a confident and stable
middle class, which must be the backbone of the new democratic Russia.

September 15, 2007 at 01:51 PM in Russia | Permalink | Top of page | Blog Home